Four storeys high and trapezoid in shape

An extraordinary mobile arts venue is being specially created for the Lift Festival (previously London International Festival of Theatre) in June and July. The new building, known as ‘the Lift’, is the result of a two-year design process involving architects AOC, who have worked with the Festival and 200 east and south-east Londoners to develop their initial designs.

Four storeys high and trapezoid in shape, the venue is covered with a translucent colourful skin which, when illuminated, becomes a giant beacon visible from miles away. It is a theatre, a concert hall, an open air stage, an interactive billboard, a cinema, an exhibition and a public meeting space all in one. The Lift Festival will first appear at Stratford Park in London, before moving to Southbank Centre Square. Highlights include international productions from Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, China and Canada, as well as local projects commissioned by Lift, and a series of feasts, workshops and discussions.